FAQ Results

When your air-conditioner unit goes into a Demand Response Mode you're unable to reverse the function by changing temperature settings or other actions.

Our network is designed to cope with these peaks and has extra capacity to cater for extreme weather days. Read more information on our Peak demand web page.

We regularly survey PeakSmart customers to determine whether they’ve noticed any difference during a PeakSmart event. At the last survey, over 70,000 Queensland PeakSmart customers didn’t notice any difference to their comfort levels when their air-conditioners were in Demand Response Mode.

No. The signal receiver can be activated on any setting and temperature.

PeakSmart is an innovative technology that helps moderate power usage at times of peak demand. It's aimed at reducing growth in electricity prices by reducing future network costs.

A PeakSmart event is a situation where the network calls on connected PeakSmart appliances, like air-conditioners, via a signal receiver. When called upon, these appliances drop into Demand Response Mode, which is like economy mode, reducing the amount of power they draw from the grid.

Over time, PeakSmart events help lessen the need to build more network infrastructure, and help with localised issues during times of peak demand.

As we increasingly rely on electricity as part of our everyday lives, energy use during peak times continues to rise. Millions of dollars are spent on extra electricity infrastructure to cater for these peak times. PeakSmart helps us use our network more efficiently, and is one of our solutions for managing peak demand.

It works via a signal receiver – a small device installed in the PeakSmart air-conditioner(s). A signal is sent remotely from us via your power supply that tells the air-conditioner to cap its energy consumption on occasions when the network reaches peak demand. This is only likely to happen a few times a year. We call this a PeakSmart event.

Once your PeakSmart air conditioner has been made PeakSmart Active by your installer, we can send a signal to it through the electricity network to temporarily reduce its consumption. This is similar to putting your air conditioner into economy mode and is only ever done when the electricity network reaches peak demand.

PeakSmart mode and economy Tariff 33 are only activated on a few days of the year, for short periods of time, when the electricity network reaches peak demand in extreme weather conditions. With economy Tariff 33 the power to your air conditioner will be turned off and your air conditioner will not work when there is an extreme weather event. The advantage of PeakSmart is that your air conditioner will keep running in economy mode during the same extreme weather event, and you shouldn’t notice any difference to your comfort levels. Also, PeakSmart is quite simple to set up and unlike Tariff 33 does not require any electrical rewiring back to the switchboard and a receiver is simply installed in your PeakSmart air conditioner. Please note you cannot connect your air conditioner to PeakSmart if it is already connected to Tariff 33.

There's a slight time delay when air-conditioners come out of Demand Response Mode. It could take a number of minutes before an air-conditioning unit reverts to full operation. Please note, different models and manufacturers will vary.

PeakSmart mode is only activated on a few days of the year, for short periods of time, when the electricity network reaches peak demand in extreme weather conditions. As your air conditioner keeps running, you won't notice any difference to your comfort levels. Some air conditioner model displays indicate when they are operating in PeakSmart mode. Learn more about PeakSmart events.